London is a bustling and diverse metropolis that is a great place to visit for entertainment.
For millennia, Londoners have enjoyed gambling as a pleasure. It was a popular pastime among chiefs of the royal household in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, including King Henry VIII and Charles II. By the eighteenth century, gaming had become a vice for the poor, and gambling was practiced by the city’s wealthy and impoverished.
Ronnie and Reggie Kray, the famed crime team, started their casino in an upscale section of Knightsbridge in the 1950s. Some of the city’s wealthiest and most prominent people attended this casino.
Wagering and betting became entirely legal once the Gambling Act was passed in the 1960s. With this in place, many additional venues opened up, and more residents and visitors to the city enjoyed trips to casinos.
Gambling is now a popular leisure activity in London. The Gambling Commission regulates and supervises casinos. Whether it is an online or physical location, you should always read UK online casino reviews before trying any casino. So, make sure to do your research first!
There is a vast range of casino places to play at whether you are a resident of London or a tourist looking for fun during your visit. Here is a handful of the greatest from various parts of town.
The Best Casinos in London
- Aspinall’s
Aspinall’s is a prestigious establishment. Many consider it the most exclusive and exquisite of all Mayfair casinos. The unobtrusive facade slips into what appears to be a residential street. Yet, the interior is extraordinarily lavish and upscale, with an air of rumpled tuxedos and expensive cigars rolling the dice under chandeliers, silks, and velvets. Come on an evening, and you’ll feel the adrenaline of sweat-browed Oofys throwing life-changing wagers onto the blue baize pounding the walls.
In the 1970s, Aspinall was frequented by men such as James Goldsmith, the Sultan of Brunei, Tiny Rowland, and Adnan Khashoggi. The place has a low profile, but stories do leak out. For example, one memorable evening saw a punter win £12 million, prompting the owners to seek refinancing.
- Hippodrome Casino
This casino is located in the heart of London
‘s West End, the country’s entertainment center. The casino has been operational for almost a century and is currently one of the top gaming places in the entire city of London. The Hippodrome sits directly on Leicester Square, where all the movie premieres take place, and it is the epitome of wealth and style in the neighborhood.
There are no less than six bars to select from, three levels of slots, and various casino games. Blackjack, roulette, and poker are three of the most popular games at the magnificent Hippodrome Casino.
- CROCKFORDS
One of the added casino bonuses at Crockfords in Mayfair is that it is well stocked with caviar, champagne, and lobster, ensuring you never run out. This casino is developing a club based on games invented by William Crockfords in St James’s in 1828.
The Duke of Wellington was a prominent member of Crockfords, which was a win-win situation for the casino at the time. Kerry Packer wasted her valuable time here and squandered £11 million in three weeks in 1999.
- The Palm Beach Casino, Mayfair
Palm Beach is another gorgeous place ideal for an evening out. This casino is a high-end facility that provides guests with a very exquisite experience. Megaways slots, blackjack, baccarat, three card poker tables, and live roulette that is aired online are all available. Slot machines are also available on the gaming floor.
If you enjoy good wines, the Palm Beach bar will not disappoint. The Lounge bar is open weekly, from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. The bar menu features an outstanding selection of high-quality champagnes, wines, sherries, and ports. A comfortable gaming bar overlooks the gaming floor; this section is open until 4 a.m. every day and is ideal for a quick drink as you relax and prepare to play.
- THE EMPIRE CASINO
The original Las Vegas Empire Casino is the Manchester United of London Casinos. The Empire Casino in London’s Leicester Square provides luxury gambling to Europe in this stunning facility. It is London’s largest casino, over 55,000 square feet.
It used to be a magnificent theatre and a ballroom combined, but Caesars Entertainment transformed it into a casino in 2007. It is a center of chance and gambling, with 127 slot machines and 50 table games.
- LES AMBASSADEURS
Remember the Bond movie Dr. No when Sean Connery comes with incomparable suaveness, lights a Morland cigarette, and introduces himself as “Bond. James Bond”? That scene is set in ‘Les A.’ Back then, it was named Le Cercle, and it was to casinos what Aston Martin is to cars: clean, exquisite, and sophisticated, with the occasional Bond lounging inside. Leopold de Rothschild bought the stately Georgian structure and lived there in 1879. The membership fee is £1,000, and the views of Hyde Park are spectacular.
Aside from Bond, the location has drawn its fair number of modern-day Blofeld’s. Philip Green has purportedly won (and lost) millions of dollars at Les Ambassadeurs in the past. Mike Ashley has been but has not gambled. The alums also include Caitlyn Jenner, Teddy Sheringham, and Nicklas Bendtner.
Conclusion
There are various venues to gamble in around London, so read over this page again to see which one is perfect for you. There’s nothing wrong with going through all of these to see what would be the best fit for you. So, take a look at these. The West End, particularly around Leicester Square, is an excellent starting place for your gambling tour of London.
Most sites will provide poker schools to help you get started if you’ve never gambled. Take the London Underground to your destination and have a great time!